Wapato Creek takes on a personal journey for me. When I was a child, my father along with two of his friends built a large apartment complex, complete with an outdoor pool and cabana. In the late 1970’s it was cutting-edge-modern.

The years that followed provided many opportunities for my siblings and me to work maintaining the grounds. My brother built an enormous cedar fence that secured the property and I pulled endless horsetail weeds. This is where I learned the power of a demanding California Trimmer lawn mower, to prune roses and shovel beauty bark. Being with Dad most of the time meant working with Dad. I am forever grateful for the values he taught us as children.

Time marched on; Dad passed away in 2000 and Wapato Creek stayed in a time warp. When I revisited the once trendy space, nothing had changed. That is when we were hired by one of the original owner’s sons to breathe life back into the space. Armed with a budget and a desire to bring the cabana up-to-date, Chris and I set to work.

In our plan, we constructed a new kitchen for large parties and snacks for poolside. It opens into the common area where visitors can dine or put a puzzle together at the gathering table. The warm fireplace was flanked by new built-in cabinets, making easy access to grab a book. The space was equipped with comfy sofas, chairs, rugs, tables, lamps and art. An exercise room provides a place for the tenants to lift weights and cardio train. Finally the old saunas were converted into two ADU bathrooms; spacious and beautiful. Fresh new surfaces replaced the old.

Esc to Close

My heart felt truly blessed when the task was completed. As I stepped back, I could hear the voice of my Dad, cheering me on, “Bunny Bee, you had nothing to fear. If anyone can do this, it’s you”. It’s a beautiful feeling in life, knowing you were loved and believed in.